Under the reign of Hùng Vương the 18th, king Văn Lang, 3rd century B.C., An Tiêm, one of the best subjects of the king, being falsely accused, was condemned to exile on a desert island with his wife and son. Facing the hostility of nature, everyone cried except him because he was convinced as a Vietnamese proverb puts it, that water from a brook flows down to the sea but always ends up returning to the source. He began to investigate the environment and found what was needed for a survival: water, fruits, etc…
He even succeeded in making with his own hands a bow to hunt birds. In a beautiful morning, having shot down a bird, he discovered that the latter had been eating a certain fruit of which what was left were grains. This gave him an idea of seeding them. Thanks to the watering and cares provided by his wife and son, the fruits began to grow and took a certain round shape. An Tiêm called them « dưa hấu » in memory of his son’s name « Hấu ».
Several moons have gone by since their departure. He began to feel strangely nostalgic. That was why he decided to send a message to his friends by carving his name and the name of his family on the skin of the watermelons and thowing them in the sea. Those melons were fished out by fishermen who found them having an exquisite taste but also bearing the inscription of the An Tiêm family. They did not hesitate to offer some to the king. The king, tormented by remorse and the fidelity of the An Tiêm family, decided to pardon An Tiêm and his family.
As for the island, it was no longer a place of exile. People were allowed to resettle there. Their hard work made fruits other than « dưa hấu' » grow.